2015 VW Tiguan AWD – Wet, Snowy and Muddy Off-Road [Video Review]

2015 vw tiguarn awd | TFL Car Nathan Adlen

The 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan combines the style and sophistication of a sporty, urban compact SUV that caters to an active lifestyle. All 2015 Tiguans come standard with a 200 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter TSI® 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed automatic transmission. Available as either a front-wheel drive crossover or with VW’s 4Motion® all-wheel drive, the German compact crossover is suitable for city life, country living, or somewhere in-between.

First introduced in the US as a 2009 model, the Tiguan rides on the same basic platform as the VW Golf and Jetta. Tiguan underwent a cosmetic remake in 2012, but hasn’t changed a whole lot other than details.

New for 2015 is more value content added to the five available trims. VW brought a cache of infotainment features into all trims as standard equipment. The list of the standard features across all trims include Bluetooth, Sirius XM satellite radio, VW Car-Net® connected services, a Media Device Interface (MDI) with iPod cable, 6-disc CD changer, SD memory card reader, rearview camera, and touchscreen audio system.

vw tiguan interior

The Tiguan may not have the off-road capability of a Range Rover, but it is engineered for mild off-road excursions. 4Motion AWD, almost 7 inches of ground clearance, and 28/25 degree approach and departure angle combine to make the Tiguan ready for all types of terrain and weather conditions. An electro-hydraulic system delivers power to all four wheels seamlessly. A Haldex center differential continuously splits power distribution between the front and rear axles, depending on traction conditions. 90 percent of the power is directed to the front wheels by default. Conversely, 100 percent of the drive torque can be progressively directed to the rear wheels, such as when executing a hard acceleration from a dead stop.

Inside the cabin the Tiguan has seating for five passengers and 23.8 cubic feet of rear cargo space. Drop the 40/20/40 split folding back seats and max cargo capacity grows to 56.1 cubic feet. Need to carry more? The Tiguan has a 2,200 pound towing capacity.

Check out the 2015 Tiguan’s off-road and foul weather capabilities as Nathan takes one into the Colorado Rocky Mountains on a cold, wet and snowy afternoon.

 
Other compact crossovers to consider:
Subaru XV Crosstrek, Chevrolet Trax, Nissan Rogue, Buick Encore, Honda HR-V, Ford Escape